Tuesday, 15 October 2013

Houllier helps FFA track down new coach

Former France and Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier is
helping Football Federation Australia track down a new coach with local
Ange Postecoglou emerging as favourite to replace Holger Osieck, reports
said Monday.

Osieck was sacked on Saturday just eight months out from the World
Cup after the Socceroos were thrashed 6-0 by France in an international
friendly in Paris.
Guus Hiddink was immediately linked to a return after guiding the
Socceroos to the second round of the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but
Melbourne Victory coach and two-time A-League championship winner
Postecoglou is gaining support.
Houllier, who was pursued by FFA boss Frank Lowy to succeed Hiddink
in 2006, has reportedly provided the organisation with a list of names
which is understood to include Frenchman Alain Perrin, the Daily
Telegraph said Monday.
Having succeeded Houllier at French club Lyon, Perrin was in
contention to coach France in 2008 but has since been working in the
Middle East.
While a host of international coaches have been touted, FFA chief
executive David Gallop is believed to strongly favour a local candidate
with Postecoglou seen as favourite ahead of former national interim
coach Graham Arnold, the newspaper said.
"I guess all the commentary will run with my name," Postecoglou told
reporters. "The only thing I would recommend strongly is to appoint the
best person for the job.
"I don't like this whole 'Let's go local as opposed to overseas'. It
is our national team and whoever the best person for the job is, that's
who should get it. I've never been into tokenism or just doing things
because it seems right."
The Australian broadsheet, meanwhile, said FFA was unlikely to
replace its Dutch technical director Han Berger when his contract ends
next year amid budgetary measures.
Newspapers said the key issue for FFA was whether to opt for a
short-term fix in the form of a high-profile international like Hiddink
for the World Cup then make a full-time appointment, most likely a
local.
Alternatively, they appoint a full-time coach now to take Australia
to Brazil, the Asian Cup in 2015 and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.